1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a recording/reproducing system, a recording/reproducing apparatus, and a method for controlling the recording/reproducing apparatus. The present invention can be applied to a system including a camera-integrated video tape recorder and an external recording apparatus connected to the camera-integrated video tape recorder, for example. According to the present invention, when an external recording apparatus is connected to a main apparatus, a menu for the external recording apparatus is provided to the main apparatus, and a setting for the external recording apparatus is accepted with the main apparatus. Thus, even if the external recording apparatus is designed to be small and capable of being connected to various types of video equipment, and is equipped with various types of operation units, an alarm display section, and so on, a reduction in usability of the external recording apparatus when connected to the main unit can be avoided effectively.
2. Background Art
Known camera-integrated video tape recorders record an imaging result obtained by imaging means on a recording medium, such as a magnetic tape, an optical disc, a hard disk drive, or a memory card.
In connection with such a camera-integrated video tape recorder, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 2-280575 has proposed a structure in which a video tape recorder can be externally connected thereto, and, even when an internal recording/reproducing section suffers a failure or the like, the imaging result can be recorded by the externally connected video tape recorder.
When the external recording apparatus, such as the hard disk drive, is connected to the camera-integrated video tape recorder such that the external recording apparatus is capable of recording and reproducing the imaging result, the imaging result can be recorded significantly longer than in the past. In addition, if the external recording apparatus is designed to be small and light, mobility of the camera-integrated video tape recorder is not impaired. Accordingly, it can be expected that a significant improvement will be achieved in the usability of the camera-integrated video tape recorder.
Moreover, if such an external recording apparatus is equipped with various types of operation units, an alarm display section, and so on, and is so constructed as to be capable of being operated on its own, this external recording apparatus can be connected to various types of video equipment to record video content, and will provide convenience.
However, the external recording apparatus that is designed to be small and capable of being connected to various types of video equipment and which is equipped with the various types of operation units, the alarm display section, and so on inevitably has only limited space for provision of the various types of operation units, the alarm display section, and so on. Therefore, this external recording apparatus will suffer a reduction in usability when connected to a main unit, such as the camera-integrated video tape recorder.